TEMPE, Ariz. – Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye announced the 2021 Sun Devil Women's Golf schedule, as the program has put together yet another challenging campaign.
Arizona State will compete in six regular season events from January to April, leading up to the Pac-12 Championships and NCAA Championships. Coach Farr-Kaye and Associate Head Coach Michelle Estill have been hard at work reconstructing a schedule in the midst of unprecedented circumstances.
Prior to the abrupt ending of the 2019-20 season, Sun Devil Women's Golf had spent the entire campaign in the Top-5, finding themselves at No. 3 at the time of the stoppage. Due to their elite status last year, ASU was originally scheduled to compete in several prestigious tournaments such as the East Lake Cup, which annually invites the four top teams from the previous season. The coaching staff pivoted quickly, building another competitive schedule that is designed to prepare the Sun Devils for a postseason run.
"We are excited to get our season started in a few weeks," Coach Farr-Kaye exclaimed. "Our schedule will look a little different than our normal spring, but we still have a very strong schedule. The team has worked hard in the off season and is ready to start competing."
The Sun Devil lineup is loaded heading into 2021, with Coach Farr-Kaye's roster featuring a blend of battle-tested veterans and emerging talented underclassmen. Every member of the 2019-20 team that was in a position to compete for the National Championships returns, including three All-Americans. Arizona State is once again considered one of the top teams in the NCAA, led by one of the nation's most decorated coaching staffs.
Because of the unprecedented circumstances, the following dates are subject to change. As always, stay tuned to our website (thesundevils.com/sports/womens-golf) and our social media platforms (@SunDevilWGolf) for the latest information. Here is a breakdown of the 2021 Sun Devil Women's Golf Schedule:
The Match in the Desert – January 24-25 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
Arizona State won't have to leave the state for their first tournament of the season, competing in The Match in the Desert hosted by the University of Denver. The event is scheduled to run January 24-25 at Superstition Mountain Golf Club in Gold Canyon. This is the third consecutive season that the Sun Devils will compete in this tournament, opening the 2020 Spring campaign with a win over No. 20 UCLA and No. 50 Denver a year ago. The 2019 edition saw Arizona State top Georgia and Denver in the typical one-day, 18-hole event. That will change this season, as it takes place over two days.
A season ago, Arizona State (-1/287) narrowly edged out fellow Pac-12 foe UCLA (E/288) and tournament-host Denver (E/288) for the program's 90th team championship since 1982. Alessandra Fanali was not only the highest-finishing Sun Devil, she paced the field with a 68 (-4), matching her season-low. The sophomore put together her fifth-career round in the 60s, taking home her first-ever collegiate Individual Championship.
This is the second consecutive year the Sun Devils have won. Freshman Amanda Linner made her collegiate debut, showing poise despite competing in just her first tournament. In 2019, ASU finished with the exact same score (-1/287) in addition to accounting for the individual winner, as Alexandra Forsterling shot a tournament-best 69 (-3).
Sun Devil Winter Classic – February 15-17 (Scottsdale, AZ)
The Sun Devils will stay in Arizona for the second event of the season, as the program hosts the Sun Devil Winter Classic. The tournament is scheduled to run February 15-17 at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale. This is the first of two home contests for Arizona State and the inaugural edition of this tournament, as ASU hosts some of the top teams from around the country. Talking Stick Golf Club is located next to Talking Sick Resort and features two highly-rated courses.
Bruin Wave Invitational – March 1-3 (Somis, CA)
Arizona State returns to the Bruin Wave Invitational after a one-year hiatus, leaving their home state for the first time to neighboring California. The tournament is scheduled for March 1-3 at Saticoy Country Club in Somis. The club has hosted many U.S.G.A. Championship Qualifiers and SCGA Amateur Championships. The Sun Devils last competed at the 2019 Bruin Wave Invitational, where Olivia Mehaffey claimed the Individual title thanks to a strong final round. ASU finished in third as a team at the two-day event held at San Luis Obispo Golf Club. The Invitational is extended to three-days this season. Back in 2016, the Sun Devils finished in second as a team, continuing their long tradition of success at UCLA-hosted tournaments. The strong performances date back to the 1980s when current Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye won the 1987 Trojan-Bruin Desert Classic.
Clover Cup – March 12-14 (Mesa, AZ)
Sun Devil Women's Golf is participating in the Clover Cup for the first time since 2018, when they finished second as a team. The three-day event is hosted by Notre Dame at the Longbow Golf Club. ASU will not have to venture far for this tournament, competing in Arizona for the tbird time. The Sun Devils will be looking for their third Clover Cup Championships, previously winning back in 2015 & 2017. Coach Farr-Kaye's team claimed the title in 2017, a victory that spring boarded the team to a National Championship. It was a significant moment for four-time All-American Olivia Mehaffey, as she earned her first top-10 collegiate finish, tying for sixth place (213/-3).
PING/ASU Invitational – March 26-28 (Phoenix, AZ)
After last year's edition was cancelled due to the global pandemic, the Sun Devils are eager to host the 2021 PING/ASU Invitational. The three-day event will take place March 26-28 at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix. The home of Sun Devil Men's and Women's Golf, was recently named the Arizona Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) of Arizona. The annual host venue of both the ASU/PING Invitational and Thunderbird Collegiate has long been considered one of the top courses in the state, but now has earned the official title after being crowned by the NGCOA. The iconic course has hosted numerous historic events, dating back to the US Amateur Public Links Championship in 1971. It is also home to the nationally-renowned Thunderbirds Golf Complex, the state-of-the-art practice facility for both Sun Devil Golf programs that set a new standard in collegiate golf.
Arizona State has enjoyed a long tradition of success at the PING/ASU Invitational dating back to the days at Karsten Golf Course. The Sun Devils have won a total of 20 Team Championships, while 17 Sun Devils have captured the Individual title since the tournament began in 1973. ASU last won in 2017 on their way to a National Championship, with Roberta Liti earning Individual medal honors.
Silverado Showdown – April 5-7 (Napa, CA)
The Sun Devils cap the regular season with a trip to California for the Silverado Showdown, a three-day event co-hosted by Oregon and Colorado. The tournament is being held April 5-7 at the North Course of the Silverado Country Club & Resort. Arizona State last appeared in this even in 2018, where an undermanned Sun Devil squad with only four golfers in the lineup still managed to finish in the Top-10.
Pac-12 Championship – April 23-25 (Stanford, CA)
The 2021 Pac-12 Championships will be hosted by Stanford and will take place at Stanford Golf Course after the championships scheduled for the same location last season were cancelled. This is a course that the Sun Devils are familiar with, as they won the Stanford Intercollegiate in October of 2019 at Stanford Golf Course. In the previous Pac-12 Championship even, ASU finished third as a team while Olivia Mehaffey became the program's 13th Pac-12 Individual Champion, the most of any school. As usual, the Territorial Cup Series® point will be awarded to the higher finisher between Arizona State and Arizona. The Sun Devils eight Pac-10/12 Championships are tied for the most in the conference. ASU's last team title was in 2009 when Carlota Ciganda earned individual medalist honors in a playoff with teammate Jennifer Osborn.
NCAA Regionals – May 10-12 (Stanford/Louisville/Columbus/Baton Rouge)
ASU made their 27th consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance in 2019, now just one of nine teams nationally to have participated in a Regional every year since the postseason format was changed. At the Norman Regional two years ago, Olivia Mehaffey battled inclement weather on her way to earning Co-Medalist honors. She became the eighth Sun Devil to earn at least a share of the individual regional title. Arizona State qualified for the NCAA Championships thanks to their fifth-place finish. As a team, the Sun Devils have won five NCAA Regionals team titles, including their most recent one in 2017. In 2021, NCAA Regionals are hosted by Stanford, Louisville, Ohio State, and LSU.
NCAA Championships – May 21-26 (Scottsdale, AZ)
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 events, the NCAA announced that Arizona State University and Grayhawk Golf Club will now host the 2021 through 2023 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Golf Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz. It will be the first time a university and golf course will host the championships for three consecutive seasons. The championship will be contested on Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor course, a par-72, 7,090-yard and broadcasted live on Golf Channel. This will represent the first time ASU has hosted an NCAA Golf Championship since the women's program hosted in 1992. By virtue of their fifth-place finish at the Norman Regional in 2019, the Sun Devils appeared in their nation-leading 35th national championships in Fayetteville. Thanks to their 14th place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championship, Women's Golf earned 60 points in the Directors' Cup, which was the third highest total among Sun Devil Athletics programs. Arizona State's eight NCAA Championships are the most of any program, with the last title coming in 2017.
2021 Arizona State Women's Golf Schedule
The Match in the Desert – January 24-25 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
Sun Devil Winter Classic – February 15-17 (Scottsdale, AZ)
Bruin Wave Invitational – March 1-3 (Somis, CA)
Clover Cup – March 12-14 (Mesa, AZ)
PING/ASU Invitational – March 26-28 (Phoenix, AZ)
Silverado Showdown – April 5-7 (Napa, CA)
Pac-12 Championship – April 23-25 (Stanford, CA)
NCAA Regionals – May 10-12 (Stanford/Louisville/Columbus/Baton Rouge)
NCAA Championships – May 21-26 (Scottsdale, AZ)
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).
Arizona State will compete in six regular season events from January to April, leading up to the Pac-12 Championships and NCAA Championships. Coach Farr-Kaye and Associate Head Coach Michelle Estill have been hard at work reconstructing a schedule in the midst of unprecedented circumstances.
Prior to the abrupt ending of the 2019-20 season, Sun Devil Women's Golf had spent the entire campaign in the Top-5, finding themselves at No. 3 at the time of the stoppage. Due to their elite status last year, ASU was originally scheduled to compete in several prestigious tournaments such as the East Lake Cup, which annually invites the four top teams from the previous season. The coaching staff pivoted quickly, building another competitive schedule that is designed to prepare the Sun Devils for a postseason run.
"We are excited to get our season started in a few weeks," Coach Farr-Kaye exclaimed. "Our schedule will look a little different than our normal spring, but we still have a very strong schedule. The team has worked hard in the off season and is ready to start competing."
The Sun Devil lineup is loaded heading into 2021, with Coach Farr-Kaye's roster featuring a blend of battle-tested veterans and emerging talented underclassmen. Every member of the 2019-20 team that was in a position to compete for the National Championships returns, including three All-Americans. Arizona State is once again considered one of the top teams in the NCAA, led by one of the nation's most decorated coaching staffs.
Because of the unprecedented circumstances, the following dates are subject to change. As always, stay tuned to our website (thesundevils.com/sports/womens-golf) and our social media platforms (@SunDevilWGolf) for the latest information. Here is a breakdown of the 2021 Sun Devil Women's Golf Schedule:
The Match in the Desert – January 24-25 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
Arizona State won't have to leave the state for their first tournament of the season, competing in The Match in the Desert hosted by the University of Denver. The event is scheduled to run January 24-25 at Superstition Mountain Golf Club in Gold Canyon. This is the third consecutive season that the Sun Devils will compete in this tournament, opening the 2020 Spring campaign with a win over No. 20 UCLA and No. 50 Denver a year ago. The 2019 edition saw Arizona State top Georgia and Denver in the typical one-day, 18-hole event. That will change this season, as it takes place over two days.
A season ago, Arizona State (-1/287) narrowly edged out fellow Pac-12 foe UCLA (E/288) and tournament-host Denver (E/288) for the program's 90th team championship since 1982. Alessandra Fanali was not only the highest-finishing Sun Devil, she paced the field with a 68 (-4), matching her season-low. The sophomore put together her fifth-career round in the 60s, taking home her first-ever collegiate Individual Championship.
This is the second consecutive year the Sun Devils have won. Freshman Amanda Linner made her collegiate debut, showing poise despite competing in just her first tournament. In 2019, ASU finished with the exact same score (-1/287) in addition to accounting for the individual winner, as Alexandra Forsterling shot a tournament-best 69 (-3).
Sun Devil Winter Classic – February 15-17 (Scottsdale, AZ)
The Sun Devils will stay in Arizona for the second event of the season, as the program hosts the Sun Devil Winter Classic. The tournament is scheduled to run February 15-17 at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale. This is the first of two home contests for Arizona State and the inaugural edition of this tournament, as ASU hosts some of the top teams from around the country. Talking Stick Golf Club is located next to Talking Sick Resort and features two highly-rated courses.
Bruin Wave Invitational – March 1-3 (Somis, CA)
Arizona State returns to the Bruin Wave Invitational after a one-year hiatus, leaving their home state for the first time to neighboring California. The tournament is scheduled for March 1-3 at Saticoy Country Club in Somis. The club has hosted many U.S.G.A. Championship Qualifiers and SCGA Amateur Championships. The Sun Devils last competed at the 2019 Bruin Wave Invitational, where Olivia Mehaffey claimed the Individual title thanks to a strong final round. ASU finished in third as a team at the two-day event held at San Luis Obispo Golf Club. The Invitational is extended to three-days this season. Back in 2016, the Sun Devils finished in second as a team, continuing their long tradition of success at UCLA-hosted tournaments. The strong performances date back to the 1980s when current Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye won the 1987 Trojan-Bruin Desert Classic.
Clover Cup – March 12-14 (Mesa, AZ)
Sun Devil Women's Golf is participating in the Clover Cup for the first time since 2018, when they finished second as a team. The three-day event is hosted by Notre Dame at the Longbow Golf Club. ASU will not have to venture far for this tournament, competing in Arizona for the tbird time. The Sun Devils will be looking for their third Clover Cup Championships, previously winning back in 2015 & 2017. Coach Farr-Kaye's team claimed the title in 2017, a victory that spring boarded the team to a National Championship. It was a significant moment for four-time All-American Olivia Mehaffey, as she earned her first top-10 collegiate finish, tying for sixth place (213/-3).
PING/ASU Invitational – March 26-28 (Phoenix, AZ)
After last year's edition was cancelled due to the global pandemic, the Sun Devils are eager to host the 2021 PING/ASU Invitational. The three-day event will take place March 26-28 at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix. The home of Sun Devil Men's and Women's Golf, was recently named the Arizona Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) of Arizona. The annual host venue of both the ASU/PING Invitational and Thunderbird Collegiate has long been considered one of the top courses in the state, but now has earned the official title after being crowned by the NGCOA. The iconic course has hosted numerous historic events, dating back to the US Amateur Public Links Championship in 1971. It is also home to the nationally-renowned Thunderbirds Golf Complex, the state-of-the-art practice facility for both Sun Devil Golf programs that set a new standard in collegiate golf.
Arizona State has enjoyed a long tradition of success at the PING/ASU Invitational dating back to the days at Karsten Golf Course. The Sun Devils have won a total of 20 Team Championships, while 17 Sun Devils have captured the Individual title since the tournament began in 1973. ASU last won in 2017 on their way to a National Championship, with Roberta Liti earning Individual medal honors.
Silverado Showdown – April 5-7 (Napa, CA)
The Sun Devils cap the regular season with a trip to California for the Silverado Showdown, a three-day event co-hosted by Oregon and Colorado. The tournament is being held April 5-7 at the North Course of the Silverado Country Club & Resort. Arizona State last appeared in this even in 2018, where an undermanned Sun Devil squad with only four golfers in the lineup still managed to finish in the Top-10.
Pac-12 Championship – April 23-25 (Stanford, CA)
The 2021 Pac-12 Championships will be hosted by Stanford and will take place at Stanford Golf Course after the championships scheduled for the same location last season were cancelled. This is a course that the Sun Devils are familiar with, as they won the Stanford Intercollegiate in October of 2019 at Stanford Golf Course. In the previous Pac-12 Championship even, ASU finished third as a team while Olivia Mehaffey became the program's 13th Pac-12 Individual Champion, the most of any school. As usual, the Territorial Cup Series® point will be awarded to the higher finisher between Arizona State and Arizona. The Sun Devils eight Pac-10/12 Championships are tied for the most in the conference. ASU's last team title was in 2009 when Carlota Ciganda earned individual medalist honors in a playoff with teammate Jennifer Osborn.
NCAA Regionals – May 10-12 (Stanford/Louisville/Columbus/Baton Rouge)
ASU made their 27th consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance in 2019, now just one of nine teams nationally to have participated in a Regional every year since the postseason format was changed. At the Norman Regional two years ago, Olivia Mehaffey battled inclement weather on her way to earning Co-Medalist honors. She became the eighth Sun Devil to earn at least a share of the individual regional title. Arizona State qualified for the NCAA Championships thanks to their fifth-place finish. As a team, the Sun Devils have won five NCAA Regionals team titles, including their most recent one in 2017. In 2021, NCAA Regionals are hosted by Stanford, Louisville, Ohio State, and LSU.
NCAA Championships – May 21-26 (Scottsdale, AZ)
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 events, the NCAA announced that Arizona State University and Grayhawk Golf Club will now host the 2021 through 2023 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Golf Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz. It will be the first time a university and golf course will host the championships for three consecutive seasons. The championship will be contested on Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor course, a par-72, 7,090-yard and broadcasted live on Golf Channel. This will represent the first time ASU has hosted an NCAA Golf Championship since the women's program hosted in 1992. By virtue of their fifth-place finish at the Norman Regional in 2019, the Sun Devils appeared in their nation-leading 35th national championships in Fayetteville. Thanks to their 14th place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championship, Women's Golf earned 60 points in the Directors' Cup, which was the third highest total among Sun Devil Athletics programs. Arizona State's eight NCAA Championships are the most of any program, with the last title coming in 2017.
2021 Arizona State Women's Golf Schedule
The Match in the Desert – January 24-25 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
Sun Devil Winter Classic – February 15-17 (Scottsdale, AZ)
Bruin Wave Invitational – March 1-3 (Somis, CA)
Clover Cup – March 12-14 (Mesa, AZ)
PING/ASU Invitational – March 26-28 (Phoenix, AZ)
Silverado Showdown – April 5-7 (Napa, CA)
Pac-12 Championship – April 23-25 (Stanford, CA)
NCAA Regionals – May 10-12 (Stanford/Louisville/Columbus/Baton Rouge)
NCAA Championships – May 21-26 (Scottsdale, AZ)
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).